title: Fallout from the Chernobyl accident and overall cancer incidence in Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied whether incidence of all cancer sites combined was associated with the radiation exposure due to fallout from the Chernobyl accident in Finland. An emphasis was on the first decade after the accident to assess the suggested "promotion effect".
  
  
  METHODS
  The segment of Finnish population with a stable residence in the first post-Chernobyl year (2 million people) was studied. The analyses were based on a 250m × 250m grid squares covering all of Finland and all cancer cases except cancers of the breast, prostate and lung. Cancer incidence in four exposure areas (based on first-year dose due to external exposure <0.1 mSv, 0.1-1.3, 0.3-0.5, or ≥ 0.5 mSv) was compared before the Chernobyl accident (1981-1985) and after it (1988-2007) taking into account cancer incidence trends for a longer period prior to the accident (since 1966).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no systematic differences in the cancer incidence in relation to radiation exposure in any calendar period, or any subgroup by sex or age at accident.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current large and comprehensive cohort analysis of the relatively low levels of the Chernobyl fallout in Finland did not observe a cancer promotion effect.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Radiation Surveillance, Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Laippatie 4, FI-00881 Helsinki, Finland. paivi.kurttio@stuk.fi
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kurttio
authors.forename: Karri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Seppä
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pasanen
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Patama
authors.forename: Anssi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Auvinen
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pukkala
authors.forename: Sirpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heinävaara
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arvela
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hakulinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D014455:Ukraine; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cancer; Chernobyl nuclear accident; Finland; Ionizing radiation; Neoplasms; Registries